Chapter IV: The Vampire Prince

Akira opened her eyes sleepily. She groaned when her head suddenly spun and ached as if it was about to split open— a hangover. 

“Ali…” She called sleepily, but there was no response. She sat and scanned the surroundings to find Ali, But instead of finding her, she realized that the room was unfamiliar. The room is pretty big and has a fashionable style and furniture. The ones that caught Akira's eyes were the picture frames with no pictures and books that were arranged well on the mini bookshelves. 

“This is not my room.” She whispered to herself in panic. A soft plumpy black sheet covered her, and when she removed it, her eyes widened. 

“Why are my clothes….” She said in disbelief. Her clothes changed into oversized white sleeves and a familiar scent, yet she couldn't pinpoint what it was. Next to her, a black tuxedo is lying as if it belonged to a person.

‘Tonight… I'll make an exception.’

She suddenly remembered the line of the man she danced with. Her heart started to beat anxiously. Then, she stood up from the bed and started to find her clothes but failed. 

“Fuck… what the hell happened? I can't remember a thing!” She said to herself in a frustrated voice while walking back and forth. She gazed at the open window: there was a small balcony.

She hurriedly peeks there, hoping to escape, but to her surprise, the height to where she is now and the ground is huge, making it impossible. The room she's in is on the third floor. She might make it with a fractured bone, but the problem is she doesn't know where this place is. The only thing she can see is the vast trees everywhere!

With no choice, she walked on tiptoe towards the main closed door and stood there with her heart beating abnormally. That's the only exit she had. 

“Please, let there be no one outside.” She prayed while holding the cold doorknob. 

*Creaaaak

“You're finally up. Good morning.” A familiar voice greeted Akira, which made her heart skip a beat. Despite her anxious prayer, the man she wanted to avoid was in front of her!

A man named Leon, whom she danced to and asked for a kiss last night in the nightclub, greeted her with a smile on his face.

*Blaaag!

Akira immediately closed the door. ‘Fuck! What the hell is that?’ She thought and held her heart. It was beating crazily! How can a person be so terrifyingly beautiful?

He has Jet-black long hair, thick brows paired with deep blue eyes, a pointed nose, and firm but red lips. His intense gaze at Akira, despite those smiling faces of his, made her almost lose her sanity. 

“Milady, it is me, Leon.” 

She locked the door. “I know! D-don't come in, or else you're d-dead!” She shouted and got away from the door. 

Akira doesn't know what to do in this situation! Just how in the world did she end up in this house with a man she barely knew? She can't even remember anything; her only memories are of kissing that guy!

‘And what the hell is wrong with my body clock today?’ She thought, grabbing her hair in irritation. She's upset at the fact that, despite all odds, her ability to wake up early hadn't always been put to use.

The sun clearly looks like it's noon! She thought that if she had woken up early, she’d succeeded in her escape and would not face Leon.

There was no response from Leon for a while before he finally responded. “Have you forgotten what happened last night?” 

‘Did something happen...between us?’

Akira's heart immediately sank at his question. She doesn't even remember anything, and hearing his question like that fears her that something did happen. She looked at her clothes. ‘Maybe what I'm wearing right now is probably his clothes too.’

She gritted her teeth at her foolishness. ‘Just how could I?’

Akira let herself slump on the ground, pathetically gripping the ends of her clothes as she gazed at the closed door. Leon's presence is there; maybe he's waiting for her to respond and go out. But she's so afraid. 

“Hey, are you alright?” Leon asked after knocking on the door two times. Akira heard him sigh when she didn't answer. “It's okay if you don't remember what happened between us, but can we at least talk?” He asked with a voice that seemed sad. 

It made her feel guilty for a moment. Leon was right. They need to talk, especially about what had happened between them. Although, for Akira, even if they did ‘it,’ she wanted to end this connection and treat it as a mistake. Nothing more!

Akira slowly stood up and walked in front of the door. She grabbed the doorknob and opened the door a little bit, but enough to let her peek outside. 

She sees Leon's face once again. His deep blue eyes stared at her, and she felt like they glistened for a moment when he saw her. 

‘But never mind that.’

Akira gulped, “Where are my clothes?” 

His expression lightened, “Oh~ I threw it.” He said it with a smile on his face again, followed by scratching his nape as if he were shy.

“Y-you threw it? Why?!” Akira's expression went into shock at his answer. She opened the door madly and went to face him. She just bought that expensive dress.

Maybe because of shock at her reaction, Leon stepped back and had to look away. 

“I didn't throw it because I had to… I threw it because you won't be able to use it anyway.” He explained, but that didn't make her understand. Akira raises her eyebrows in confusion. 

“It ripped. Yesterday night was...” He added in a low voice. He didn't finish what he was saying.

“...”

Akira's mouth fell slightly, “Oh...”

She didn't ask for the details, but she understood what he meant. She felt her cheeks blush for a moment. She can't deny that she's curious about what happened—like how it went. But she needs to stay focused and end everything here!

“W-where should we talk?” Akira asked to change the awkward atmosphere between them. 

“Right, I almost forgot. Let's talk while eating. I made food for us. Follow me.” He said and started to walk. But after a few steps, Leon stopped and looked back at Akira.

“W-what?”

Leon gazes at Akira's bare feet. He then sighed and walked toward her, which made her flinch. 

“What are you….” Akira couldn't finish her question when Leon suddenly knelt in front of her. Her expression looked confused; she suddenly felt her face become hot after some time.

“You can wear mine,” Leon said while helping Akira wear his house slipper. 

“You don't have to….” Akira retorted, unwilling to wear Leon's slipper. It makes her even more guilty.

‘Why is he….’

Leon looked at her, “The floor is cold, so wear it.” He said, with a serious look on his face that made Akira hold her breath. Her heart started to beat crazy again. Who wouldn't? 

Leon's appearance and his gentlemanly actions perfectly fit her ideal man. Maybe she'd fallen for him if she were an ordinary person.

“Alright.” She uttered and let Leon help her.

After wearing Leon's slipper, she looked at Leon's bare feet and at his face, which was now looking at her. She had to look up since he was a tall man.

“Let's eat.”

“Yeah…” She answered.

Akira followed him despite the anxious feeling she had right now. She's keeping a distance from him, but the scent he has is reaching her nose. She immediately recognized it since it had the same smell as her clothes right now. A strawberry-scented cigarette, it seems. 

They reached the dining table, which was on the first floor. Truthfully, Akira's inner thoughts were telling her to run away whenever she saw a way to escape, but the fact that this man even made her food despite not knowing who she was and planning to end things with him made her stay to at least ease the guilt she's feeling. 

He helped her sit comfortably. There's already food on her plate, as well as his. It's a sunny-side-up egg, bacon, and fried rice. There's hot milk, too—a perfect combo for lunch.

Akira stared at it and then at Leon, who was eating happily. It was then that he noticed her, “You should eat. I didn't put anything on it.”

She sighed, “If you did, you'd regret it.” 

Leon chuckled at Akira's response which she ignored. She also started to eat, although there was a bit of anxiousness. She's only eating this because he made an effort when he had no reason to, and the previous chivalry he did made her almost lose her guard.

While eating, Akira took a glance at Leon from time to time. He's wearing a gray sweater which looks comfy and black sweatpants. Leon’s hair was tied messily, so its strands slightly blocked his right eye. He has lots of piercings; on his left brow, under his lips are snake bite piercings, and five others are on his ear.

‘Is he a mafia or what?’

Akira shook her head at how ridiculous her thoughts were. She shouldn't judge appearance. She sighed as she took the glass of milk, and drank it. ‘Delicious’

“Forget what happened between us,” Akira said first when they were both done eating. She noticed how Leon’s jaw clenched as if he was displeased. “And I'm sorry for what happened.”

“...”

He didn't respond nor look at her. 

Akira bit her lower lip, “Look, I'm sorry. I know I asked to kiss you, but I didn't know it would lead to this….”

It was then that he finally looked at her. She doesn't know why she's relieved by that, but she needs to stay focused! Thankfully, she's calm and not anxious at all, which slightly surprised her. 

“Let's forget each other, Leon,” Akira said and took a deep breath. She finally said and ended it. Now, there's no need to feel guilty or what. No strings attached!

But that's what she thought. 

“Five minutes had passed, right?” He asked, making her confused. He looks at his watch, followed by a nod. 

It was then that he gazed at her, different from the gaze she'd been receiving from him. The atmosphere becomes cold and serious. Right then, he leaned in at the table. 

Weird, supposedly, Akira should be anxious right now, but she doesn't feel anything. It's as if she became nothing but a doll with no emotions. Although she can move freely with her own body, it still doesn't feel like her. ‘What is happening to me?’

“It's working, huh?” Leon said to himself while looking at her. His mouth rose, forming a smile.

“You, just what the hell did you do to me?” Akira asked without feeling anything. She should be scared, mad, and shouting right now, but she feels nothing.

He shrugged and then looked at the empty glass. Akira only realized that he put something to it that made her like this. ‘This is why I shouldn't have trusted him and ignored that petty guilt.’

Akira felt a slight sting in her heart despite the numbness of her emotions right now. Maybe for that short time, she trusted him without actually realizing it. 

Leon leaned back in the chair and stared at her. “I'm sorry for doing this to you, but without it, our conversation will not be as smooth as this.”

A feigned laugh escaped her mouth, “Don't think you'll get away after this. Remember, I am not attacking you right now because I think you have ve~ry important things to tell me; that's why you resorted to suppressing my emotions. Spit it out while I can still hold back my urges to stab you with this little knife of yours.”

Akira grabbed the knife; albeit she hesitated, she still took it. Her brows arched, and she gazed back at Leon.

“You're hot-headed, as the rumors said.” Leon smiled and raised both arms as if surrendering. He clicked his tongue, “Milady, let me first introduce myself to you….”

Akira raised her eyebrow and gripped the knife in her hand, thinking in advance that if Leon ever made a suspicious move, she'd kill him immediately. Although her grip isn't as tight and firm as her normal state, she's confident she can land a hit on him.

“I am Leon Rai Hale, the vampire crown prince of Hale's royalty.” He lends his hand to her, “Your future husband.”

The knife immediately flew in Leon's direction. It was fast enough to hit him, yet the moment his gaze fell into it, it froze— floating in the air, an inch away from his forehead. The sound of a knife hitting the table rings and echoes the second he blinks. A fast punch from Akira followed it, but Leon managed to cup her fist. 

“Are you fucking kidding me?” Akira asked and retracted her fist from Leon’s hand. Without waiting for a response, she stood up and flipped the table like a madman. The sound of breaking plates and glass was heard after it fell on the ground. Both were standing—facing each other but had a distance between them. 

Silence took over them, and Leon was the first to break it after a while.

“I expected that….” He said and scratched his nape, looking at the mess Akira had created. “However, I am not here to fight with you but to make a deal, milady.”

Akira’s brow twitched, and she backed away. She couldn't believe what she had heard from Leon. Aside from being confused, her thoughts are haywire. 

First, the man she had asked for a kiss claims that he is the vampire prince, her future husband. Hell, she believed it! That arranged marriage is supposedly confidential, and only a few know it. Undoubtedly, the prince itself is well aware of it. Second, something unwanted happened between them. And third, Leon wanted to make a deal with her! 

‘This man...is he really the vampire prince?’ She thought, praying for this to be a joke. But upon looking at Leon, he looked like a prince—not a vampire. However, seeing how Leon used an ability earlier confirmed Akira’s doubt that Leon is truly a vampire. Albeit Leon has white skin, not a pale one. His eyes are clear blue eyes and not red-blooded eyes.

‘A disguise?’ Akira shook her head.

‘Ha! That beauty swayed me….’

She clicked her tongue and bit her lower lip, regret visible on her face. She had remembered her thoughts of kissing Leon, thinking he was an ordinary man, yet unexpectedly, he was none other than the vampire prince!

‘My first kiss goes to this man?!’

Akira facepalms and gazes at Leon, “You…tell me, did something really happen between us last night?”  

Leon's eyes widened, followed by a smile that made her shudder.

“The kiss?”

Akira's mouth twitched, and her brows arched. “Nothing else?”

“Unfortunately,” Leon muttered, enough for her to hear. He gazed and checked Akira, who was now wearing his polo. 

“Ahem—if something happened between us, you wouldn't be able to walk right now.” Leon blurted out and gulped. 

Akira's face turned red as her eyes widened. 

‘This vampire prince seems to be crazy!’ Akira screamed in her thoughts as she firmly clenched her fist. ‘Leon Rai Hale, you're the first one I am going to kill!’